Yet more compliments for long-time FoTotD Mr, Completely:
- Just does shit for other people because he’s kind.
- Patrols and protects the Rose City each and every night in his role as Cascadia’s Champion, the Tree Octopus.
- If you got a booger, or maybe your flag’s at half-mast, then Mr. C.’s gonna tell you in a chill and discreet way so as not to embarrass you.
- Has never–not even for an instant–considered selling any of his family to gypsies.
- Cleans up real nice so you could take him somewhere fancy, but can also throw on his jean shorts and get real loose with it.
- Hustles back to play some D.
- Only believes in the fun, old-school conspiracy theories, like “Grace Kelly wasn’t in a car crash; she was actually eaten by CIA robot cheetahs,” and not the scary, new-hotness conspiracy theories, like “The Jews did it.”
- Hates a lot of the same things I hate, and that’s a huge plus in anyone.
- Used to run the Chillout Tent at shows where they’d bring in kids who took too much; Mr. C. would talk those suckers down, and give them oranges and cigarettes.
What does this have to do with KISS?
Had you waited ten seconds, you would have found out. It was literally the next Bullet Point.
Hop to it, then.
I’ll hop up your asshole with a machete, muchacho.
You don’t have the balls to take on my asshole.
…
…
…
Shall we move on and pretend the last few lines didn’t happen?
For the best, I imagine.
Yeah. So, the point I was trying to make before I was so rudely interrupted is this: Once again, Mr. Completely has completed us. He kicks down three KISS shows from the Makeup Era: 4/1/74 from the famed Agora Ballroom in Cleveland, 6/13/75 from the Tulsa Fairgrounds, and 9/3/76 from the Richfield Coliseum (also in Cleveland). All three are Pre-FM feeds from the SBD, and quite acceptable as far as sound quality goes (and you know I’m picky about that).
These shows are a bit of a revelation: To hear the stories about early KISS and the legends about how much overdubbing was necessary to get Alive! and Alive II! into shape for release, you’d think the raw tapes would sound like deranged chimps banging on orphans. But no! They were a tight, well-rehearsed combo. I mean, they weren’t about to break into a set of Mahavishnu covers, but neither are they all playing in different keys simultaneously, unlike some semi-defunct, choogly-type bands I could mention.
Is Mr. Completely done? Has he finished his task and then withdrawn beatifically, leaving only joy and sunshine and a fresh, citrus-y smell in his wake? No! Of course not! He also points shit out, specifically the fact that KISS went–in just a bit over two years–from the 2,000-seat Agora to the 20,000-seat Richfield Coliseum, which is some impressive fan-garnering.
Download those shows presently, however: They’ll only stay up for the weekend. We close with a picture I like to call What? And leave Show Biz?
*Some of you may be happy to see this theme explored, but no one was like “TotD, can we have more disjointed and semi-random spewings on the Silly Rock band from the 70’s?”
Mr C is one of the very, very, VERY small number of things I miss about not being on Twitter, where I could follow his goodness and wisdom with awe in real time.
Also, for the record, please be advised that I, for one, welcome any and all disjointed and semi-random spewings on Silly Rock bands from the 70’s, whether I actively ask for such, or not . . . it’s just a GIVEN, namsain?
Cleveland Boy, Checking in..
Belkin Productions and the Agora probably had some Mob connections, I know Rock and Roll right, of course they did.. But just saying..
I guess the FBI would sit out in the street snapping pictures at like High School Graduation Parties at the Belkin’s house, because, well you know the FBI does that for most parties.
Never made it to the Agora, too young.
The coliseum was this massive place, but it was like in the middle of nowhere..
First Vince Show at Richfield Coliseum? I don’t know I was so over it by Vince, I think I went alone and left.
The Radio City Dead Show simulcasts where put on “Preview” the settop descrambler premium TV over the air that pre-dated Cable and lasted for like 3 months.
Back to the Coliseum..
Like “Hey let’s build an arena halfway between Akron and Cleveland so more people will come to Cavalier Basketball Games”.. But Hey LeBron maybe went to a game, so well you know.
Cleveland had something to do with Bat out of Hell, so well there is some silly 70’s to chase down.
Some fancy pants restaurant kicked Sting out for not wearing a tie..
We had a real Reggae scene pretty early.
Jerry Shirley (drummer from Humble Pie) was a DJ on wmms, he left I think after getting in trouble for using cash donated to his “Thirty Days in the Hole” fundraiser for Charity on hookers..
“Thirty Days in the Hole”, was Jerry living in a Trailer in a parking lot, raising money, and buying hookers.
We had a theatre in the round, “The Front Row” you know a rotating stage, Zappa, and Peter Tosh would come there, and it would be like, WTF this is stupid..
Our summer Shed “Blossom” kicks ass, it was built for the Orchestra, so it actually sounds good, acoustically reasonable.
And… And…. And..
Close to Canada so we would get Triumph and April Wine Baby.. “save my life I’m going down for the last time” or is that “Head East” ? Whatever Canada Baby!!!
Close to Pittsburgh.. so.. Donny Iris Man !!!
And we have something to do with Play That Funky Music White Boy..
And for being so close to Detroit, it is strange how we are not like Detroit, I think serious Racism drove that difference.. Good Old Racist Cleveland,, WTF.. it was/is pretty bad.
Akron, Devo, Chrissie Hynde, so suck it Tulsa..
—
Tor
Get you a Chrissie Hynde Tele. I mean that should be part of the Stimuli for The Clevelanders, no?
https://shop.fender.com/en-US/electric-guitars/telecaster/chrissie-hynde-telecaster/0140310783.html
Dude,
That Tele is Precious..
Move through the Cleveland Heat with that..
Makes me want it..
Make me want it..
Awesome!! A Donnie Iris shout out! Donnie is my 2nd cousin and is still massively popular with yinz down in the Pittsburgh area. We went to see him play a casino down there a few years ago and the place was packed with superfans. Dude is like 80 and still can hit the high notes in Ah! Leah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH5Arbm47IQ
The Front Row was different. I-Threes, The Band